(Octavian 28, 59 8:00AM)

  A couple of days later.

  Soft knocking trickled a white door with dented marks along its hinges. As no response was given from the other side, Luke softly twisted the slightly broken-down doorknob to let himself in. Blankets and pillows littered the wooden floor all around her bed, with the culprit’s sleeping face still deep asleep as she laid her face on a crusty old pillow.

  (Luke’s thoughts) How messy is she?!

  Having a blanket to barely wrap herself in, the ends of it were mostly hanging off the edge of the bed. Her mouth was covered in drool, a bit of it dropped to form tiny puddles as some of her hair managed to get stained by it.

  And lastly, her mouth was open, which made it so that her throat could form the common sound of …

  (Luna) Heavy snoring.

  Luke felt his lips pressed into a line as he looked down with both of his hands onto his sides. Shaking his head once, he let out an exhale of air out of his pink lungs before he tiptoed into Luna’s lair.

  Carefully managing to not step onto any blankets that would be stained by his freshly cleaned leather boots, Luke hovered over the side on which Luna was sleeping. Analyzing her sleeping face, Luke recalled the first time in which both of them met.

  (Luke’s thoughts) She took everyone by surprise by her beauty. But I guess everyone has that one flaw that holds them back.

  Slowly, he put his right hand on her left shoulder, giving her a little nudge. Nudging even harder, her body began to shake as her snoring finally ceased. Noticing that the loud noise that came from her throat was gone, Luke—

  Had his wrist instantly held by Luna’s left hand.

  Widening his eyes, Luke remained still as Luna began to wake up from her deep slumber, her eyes already glaring at him. Instead of crushing or stabbing her fingernails into Luke’s wrist, she just held onto it as a low angry groan came out from the innards of her throat.

  (Luna) What do you want?

  (Luke) Uh … today is the military ceremony.

  (Luna) I’m not going.

  (Luke) Sorry, but I kind of told them that I’m bringing everybody to the ceremony.

  (Luna) No.

  Still being devoured by the soft mattress that comforted her, Luna moved her body away from Luke as she let go of his wrist. Continuing to glare at him, she began to wrap her arms around a leftover pillow that was covered in old drool and sweat stains.

  Luke scratched the back of his head with the hand so that he could move again while continuing to wryly smile as the corners of his lips couldn’t fulfill a simple grin. Seeing that Luna was just wearing a simple white crop top along with baggy sweatpants, reminded him of his mother’s usual pajamas that she used to wear.

  (Luke) Come on, please. It’s just for today.

  (Luna) Go away.

  (Luke) sighs … okay.

  Putting both of his hands inside his leather jacket, he turned around to let Luna be left alone with just her old pillows. Just as he was about to step one foot out of the room, Luke stopped right underneath the door frame while not looking back at him.

  (Luke) Is this because I forgot to give you the stack of donuts like I promised you?

  No groan or sound came from her throat, only the ruffling of blankets and bedsheets being tossed and turned as if she were adjusting her sleep position.

  Glancing in the back of him, Luke noticed that she faced the opposite side of him, as she continued to hold onto the old pillow. Rubbing his hands once, he spoke in front of the wall that was in the hallway, as his voice wasn’t directed at Luna yet it did.

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  (Luke) Don’t worry, I’ll make it up to you by any means.

  (Luna) Go.

  (Luke) … You know Hope’s going too you know.

  Luna quickly turned her head toward Luke.

  Letting go of the old pillow, she threw it away as she grabbed hold of the bedsheets that were riddled with the same stains as that of her pillows. Clenching the back ends of her teeth, Luna constrained herself as her fingernails began to stab the very bed sheets that cradled her through her past six years of being a soldier.

  (Luna) Excuse me?!

  (Luke) Well, you guys may seem like rivals, but I feel like you guys are friends … sort of.

  Luna jumped out of bed and she set both of her bare feet down onto the floor riddled with old blankets.

  Her hands already enclosed into fists, she stomped her way toward the shy Luke, who happened to turn his body around to see the angered woman. Standing right in front of him, she deathly glared at him as she growled the words out of her mouth.

  (Luna) We’re not friends!

  (Luke) Then—

  (Luna) You win! I’m going! Happy now!? Now get out of my room!

  Taking a step back, Luna slammed the door shut.

  Looking to the left of him, Luke noticed a blonde-haired girl with blue eyes who watched the event unfold. Having her hands clasped together, she was several feet away as she slightly leaned on the ordinary flower-painted walls.

  (Luke) At least I got her out.

  (Hope) She didn’t have to go if she didn't want to.

  (Luke) I promised Boris that I would be bringing everyone. I can’t tell the President that our strongest soldier couldn’t go because she wanted to sleep in.

  Hope gave off a simple nod as she looked down at her fidgeting hands that barely held onto her fingers. Twirling with them for a solid two seconds, she unclasped them as she shyly looked up at Luke.

  While having a couple of strands of hair blocking her right eye.

  (Hope) I wanted to talk to you about what happened a month ago.

  (Luke) During the attack on Lagefor?

  (Hope) Yeah, when me and you fought against Gemma…

  Luke looked the other way as he used his left hand to rub against his right shoulder.

  Looking down onto the carpet floor that trickled against his clean leather boots, Luke’s lips quivered from the memories that flooded in. Not even tilting his head upward, the wry smile that he tried to shine off was replaced by a frown within seconds.

  (Hope) What happened?

  (Luke) I uh… I don’t know.

  (Hope) You were … not like yourself.

  (Luke) … I’m sorry.

  Hope’s footsteps towards Luke tapped and crinkled the hallway around her while closing up her hands as she curled up her fingers into her palms.

  Standing in front of Luke, her shy demeanor was quickly swept away as she put her curled-up hands onto her hips. Like a mother who was grounding their child, Hope let out a frown while she moved her head close to Luke’s face, despite the height difference between them.

  (Hope) Please don’t let that happen again. I thought you went insane or crazy after everything you went through.

  (Luke) I promise that it will never happen again.

  (Hope) Pinky promise.

  (Luke) Pinky promise?

  Taking a step back, Hope extended her right hand while sticking out her pinky.

  Having her motherly frown that was etched on her face, her eyes daggered into Luke’s left red eye. In return, Luke took out his right hand and also stook out his pinky, making contact with Hope’s as both now were connected through one finger.

  (Hope) Now make an oath.

  (Luke) Uh … I, Luke—

  (Hope) Again. You have to be confident.

  (Luke) Ok, ok. I Luke Fenix will never let those feelings of anger cloud my vision and mind ever again.

  Hope let go of her pinky finger as she placed her right hand back into her leather jacket. Straightening her back, she let out an exhale of air out of her lungs, using her open mouth to do the job.

  She then made a calm and reassuring grin, as the crevices of her lips barely reached the height level of her nose.

  (Hope) Thank you. I should continue getting ready for the ceremony.

  (Luke) That’s ok. The boys and I are already finished getting ready. But there is one thing that I want to do before I go.

  (Hope) One thing?

  Leaving Hope to continue getting ready for the ceremony, Luke stepped out of the building and into the back garden that was filled with roses, tulips, and daisies.

  Feeling the morning cool air bristled against the strands of his hair, both of his hands started to crack and thaw by just feeling the air freeze up his joints. Despite being a summer month, Luke took note of the early chilly mornings that humidified the grass below which he walked through.

  His boots soaking up with water, Luke finally reached the place that he wanted to see before he went.

  (Luke) We’re finally getting recognition. I think you would’ve loved to be recognized, probably by some lead band guitarist.

  In front of him was a tombstone surrounded by sunflowers.

  Continuing to stand up, he placed his right hand on top of the freshly made stone that created a new home for the fallen soldier. Bits of pebbles and rock fell off from the top, not even a trail of dust was formed along the stone.

  His palms got scratched by the sharp crevices that he rubbed against.

  (Luke) You just rest. After the ceremony, I’ll make sure you get a little statue. After all, you did more than anyone ever could.

  Pulling back his right hand, he then walked away with his head looking toward the door that was going to let him back inside. Putting both hands into his leather jacket, he went through the water-filled grass that soaked up his fresh leather boots, his socks already sogging up.

  Just as he was about to open the door to leave the garden…

  (???) You did more.

  Turning his head back, he looked around.

  Unable to see a figure, Luke looked back toward the tombstone that was being shined by a ray of sunlight. Seeing this, Luke entered back inside the building with a warm smile, closing the door on his way out.